Hi there, I just need some help with our labrador who is 10 weeks old. We have had him a week and has been really good until today. He has gone for a poo in his crate three times today and once was right in front of us. He always whined to go out but all of a sudden he has just decided not to bother. Because we have only had him a week we have yet to leave him on his own, all this has happened when we are in the house. The last time we had just been in the garden and he'd done a wee. We go outside with him every half hour. I don't want this to be the start of something horrible. Please help. Thanks

You are correct that you don't want it to become a habit. When you have him out, make sure he moves around to stimulate a bowel movement. I think you are much better off leaving a puppy out of a crate when you can watch it. Read the sticky at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/information-articles-our-dogs-expert-labman-53153.html#post251809 I seldom have problems with accidents in the crate, mostly over night or when the puppy is left half the day.

We just got 2 basset puppies, and we leave them in there only when we are away, or at night, and we have yet to have such a problem. Put them in there to sleep so they associate that with a den. Dogs usually don't go in the same place they are sleeping.

Hi, he has been in the crate for a few days without problem. And we only leave him in there at night and when we are eating. And he always asked to go out, but not now. When he is in the garden it's a game and doesn't go. I read somewhere that if that's the case then we should not let him play, come in and then try again in a few minutes time. But if we do that then in that few minutes he has gone for a wee and poo, without asking to go out. I just don't get it. When we first got him we always went in the garden and always asked.

I sometimes wonder if some to the people that write about it, have ever housebroken a puppy. In thing you must remember is that the puppy's body keeps changing. The timing that worked last week, won't work this week. If you read the signs correctly, as I explain in the sticky, usually they will eliminate soon after taking them out. If not, a little activity should hasten it. At 10 weeks, I don't think they have the concept of eliminating because they are outside. They still just suddenly have to go, and do it. Eventually they catch on. Some puppies are much easier than others.

Hi I have a 9 week old rott puppy and Im about to pull my hair out!! I have been trying to crate him but he doesn't seem to get it!! First off he is only in his crate at night for bed and a couple hours during the day when I need to get things done around the house and Im not able to watch him every second.He goes in his crate around 12:30 at night and I wake up once during the night around 4:00 to take him out to go to the bathroom and put him back in the crate again take him out around 8:30 am and take him right out. It gets quite frustrating cause not only does he not have a particular place he goes he likes to go to the bathroom everywhere. Ive almost stepped in it 2-3 times already. One day he goes on the mat right outside our french doors... another time he will go on our beautiful pavers... another day he will go on our deck.. and so on!! I don't know that most dogs will continue to go to a certain spot... but not him he will go wherever!! I usually stay out with him when I first take him to go potty for about half an hour but its frustrating when I do he either wants to just lay there or run around. After trying to get him to go for half an hour-45 minutes I finially just go inside myself and leave him out there to do his thing. The only reason I know he goes is cause I'll actually look at his(you know what) and see if its wet... if its not then he stays outside until he does. It doesn't seem to help when Im out there cause he will just lay there and look up at me. I often will pick him up and place him on the lawn and say"go potty" he will again just go back and lay down again. This happens 3-4 times of me picking him up to go potty and he constantly just isn't interested. Now about the crate... he goes pee in it for sure every night and has pooped for the last three nights now. Im getting tired of washing his blankets everyday especially with the smashed up poo all over it and him. He likes to lay in his poo and pee cause he doesn't seem to mind AT ALL Im bathing him everyday... its getting old!! Often I'll have him out for an hour or so and I finially let him inside cause its been cold and within' 5 minutes he goes pee inside the house. I'm at my wits end on his not minding sleeping in his poo and going potty everywhere he wants outside and inside for that matter! PLEASE HELP!!

Most puppies won't foul their crate or other sleeping place. I am placing more and more blame for the ones that do on poor care by the breeders. I am afraid there are many people breeding puppies that are utterly ignorant of the care and socialization puppies need after they are whelped. I see many questions from would be breeders indicating they have never read a book on dogs and certainly not one on breeding. They fail to realize the importance of allowing the mother and puppies to keep themselves clean. They also hold the puppies past 12 weeks until they no longer accept new things well.

Undoing such abuse is tough. Start by reading the sticky at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/information-articles-our-dogs-expert-labman-53153.html#post251809 While I mention putting the puppy back in the crate if it doesn't go, I really think you need to pay close attention to the puppy, recognizing when it needs to go out. Then, while you have it out, don't let it sit. Make it move around. They can't walk and hold it very long.

The grid I mention in the sticky goes a long way toward keeping the puppy dry, but is less effective on stools. The cleaner you are able to keep the puppy, the more likely its instincts for cleanliness to recover.

I think part of the problem is the stress of being left alone. At least a 9 week old is young enough to learn quickly. You can always try leaving a Kong filled with peanut butter in the crate. Just don't over do it. A little peanut butter is OK, but most of its calories need to come from a complete and balanced dog chow.

If you go out with the puppy, you can call it out into the grass and then praise it for eliminating there rather than places you want to keep clean.

Also with small puppies, you need to make sure the crate is not too big. They should have enough room to stand up, turn around, and lay down... nothing more.

If the crate is too big, the puppy will walk to one side and potty, and use the other side to sleep... in their mind, they aren't messing where they sleep.

So if your crate is too big use a divider or something to make it smaller.

When our dog was a puppy every time we saw him about to go for a poo in the house we told him no and carried him towards the garden even if we had to put him down before we reached the garden he eventually got the message and he even waited until we opened the door before going to the toilet.